The Girl from the Coffee Shop
by FrivolousWriter
Summary: On the day before Christmas, after months of stealing short glimpse of the beautiful blonde on the café she frequently buys her coffee, Regina finds the courage to ask the woman out to dinner. And maybe, just maybe, she won't have to celebrate Christmas alone. (Co-written with AnastasiaSelene.)


**Author's Note:**

I co-wrote this fic with Anastasia_Selene that's posted in AO3 for the Swan Queen Advent Calendar Collection 1. Happy reading!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone! xoxo

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Regina woke up with a gasp. As she took a glance at the room, she let out a sigh of relief when she saw that she was just in her room in her apartment. Squinting her eyes, she looked for the source that woke her up in the first place. She rolled her eyes when her eyes landed on her phone sitting on top of her paperwork on her bedside table. When she took it, she once again rolled her eyes when she saw multiple missed calls from her stepsister Mary Margaret, two from her parents, and one from her half-sister Zelena who's living in England with her husband Walsh. When she listened to their voicemail, all she ever got was Christmas greetings and wishing her an advance Happy New Year. Regina didn't dare to call them back; she just sent them a message thanking them and saying Happy Holidays back.

This is the first time she's celebrating the holidays without her family, and she must admit that it gets kind of lonely. Even though she doesn't get along with most of them, especially her mother's new family, celebrating the season with them somehow lifts her spirits up. At least when she's with them, she doesn't feel like something was missing. But now that she's all alone, the feeling of loss is somehow prominent and couldn't be ignored.

Regina sighed. She should've just accepted Mal's invitation when the blonde invited her to come with them to her private cabin in Portland with their co-professors since some of them are celebrating the holidays alone so they decided to join forces just to not feel alone. It's too late to accept that offer now since the group had already left for their mini vacation just the other day.

But Regina also thinks it's somewhat okay that she declined the offer. At least, she has a lot of time to spend wandering into that coffee shop just outside of the campus where a certain blonde was working. She's been taking small glimpse of the cute blonde she saw since the first time she walked inside that café.

She was having a really bad day at that time. She just found out that her boyfriend, Robin, has been cheating on her for the last two months of their relationship with that secretary of his. She was so furious that she let out her anger on her unsuspecting students. When she couldn't hold out her anger for the rest of the day any longer, she decided to go home early.

Regina just got out of campus when she saw the newly opened café not far from the university. SwanFire Café, the establishment's logo says. Her curiosity was piqued so she decided to inspect the newly opened establishment. And just from entering the shop, it's as if the anger she was feeling suddenly ebbed away, not entirely, but just enough for her to not snap at any unsuspecting victim when she's approached. The place has this homey vibe like when she visits her father in Florida. She couldn't place it but just from entering the shop, it feels like all her troubles and bad mood was suddenly seeped out from her only to be replaced by sudden lightness. She felt like she's in a daze as she walked towards the line for the counter. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and bread, cakes, and pastries being baked suddenly made her hungry.

When Regina saw that it was her turn to order, she felt like her world suddenly stopped when she saw the blonde standing behind the counter with this wide dimpled smile that lights up the whole room. She just stood there, gazing on the beautiful blonde in front of her with that dimpled smile. Regina felt like her bad mood suddenly melted away, even the thoughts of her cheating ex-boyfriend suddenly flew from her mind. All she can ever think of was the blonde's beautiful smile and how she wished that those smiles are solely for her. If it wasn't for the customer behind her that's complaining for the long line, she will be standing there all day and still wouldn't get enough. She immediately ordered herself a venti, double shot, no foam latte and a piece of croissant. She was blushing the whole time because of her blatant staring at the blonde but it doesn't seem to phase the woman and just gave her a sweet smile that made Regina swoon on the spot. Regina even stuttered a bit when the blonde, Emma, as that was the name written on her name tag, asked for her name to be written on her cup so she can call her once her order was good to go.

She didn't linger there for long once she got her order. Utterly embarrassed, she decided to stop coming to that café to save herself from embarrassment even though she's sure the blonde didn't noticed her blatant staring. But she only lasted for a week and once again she found herself entering that establishment again. She just couldn't get the blonde out of her mind. No matter how many times her mind told her that she has to stop thinking about her, her heart just keeps on contradicting it, making her miss that dimpled smile even more. So after eight days of avoidance, she dragged herself towards that shop and she felt her breath being snuffed out of her when Emma's wide dimpled smile greeted her, turning her into a puddle of goo.

She couldn't stop coming there before or after classes since then.

As the days and weeks go by, Regina just found herself so captivated by the blonde that she finds herself just staring at her while she works; either she's manning the counter or cleaning the tables or mopping the floor. And the way she moves, it was swan-like; graceful, soft and elegant in way like she's used to that kind of move, experienced. They never talked to each other. They just greeted each other with smiles and small nods, quiet hellos and thank yous. But she knows Emma already knows who she is since once she entered the establishment at exactly 8:15 in the morning, her order was already made and ready to go. It's like the blonde has known and memorized her routine.

Regina knows that her feelings towards the blonde is not just a mere infatuation. After all those months of stealing hidden glances, watching how the blonde move, seeing her interacting towards the other customers with so much tenderness, and them sharing those shy greetings and small smiles, or how she sees those dimpled smile widens whenever she enters the shop, Regina knows right there and then that she fell deeply.

It was really possible for a person to fall in love with someone even from afar.

The blaring of her alarm clock woke Regina up from her dream-like daze. When she saw what the time is, she immediately stood from her bed and started getting ready. She has 45 minutes to get ready. Today was the day she decided to have a normal conversation with the blonde. And maybe, with a huge amount of bravery, she can ask Emma out to dinner.

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Regina let out a sigh of relief when she entered the warm café. Seeing there weren't so much customer at this time of the day, she situated herself to her usual seat by the floor to ceiling windows, not ready to place her order just yet.

Rubbing her hands together, she let the warmth of the café engulf her, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and freshly made bread and pastries already making her hungry.

"Good morning, Regina," Emma cheerily greeted her after putting her usual order of latte and croissant in front of her.

Regina smiled back just as sweetly. "Good morning, Emma." She took a sip of her latte and moaned her content. She motioned the empty seat across from her for Emma to sit in. "No plans of going home for the holidays?" she asked the blonde, starting a conversation for the first time since she met the blonde.

The blonde's smile faltered slightly, making Regina frown. "No. No plans," Emma answered with a shrug. "You?"

Regina shook her head in response. "They have other plans," she said with a roll of her eyes. "One of my colleagues invited me for a holiday vacation in her private cabin in Portland with our other co-professors but I declined," she shrugged.

She saw how the blonde's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. "How come?"

Regina set aside her latte to put her elbows on the table with her hands clasped together under her chin. She gave the blonde an intensive look just under her lashes. "I'm planning on asking this certain woman out and maybe to spend the holidays with her," she said in a husky tone. She let out a small smirk at seeing the blonde squirm in her seat and the blush forming on her cheeks. _Gods, she looked so adorable._

The blonde cleared her throat. "Well—"

"Yo, Swan! Enough schmoozing and get back to work! We have customers that needs their daily dose of caffeine!" a booming voice of a man shouted from the other side of the room, making the blonde in front of her jump from her seat.

Regina raised her head to know where the booming voice came from. When she saw the man standing by the counter giving Emma a mischievous smile she was about to reprimand the man who called when Emma raised her hand and gave him the finger. A loud, boisterous laugh echoed all over the shop before the man disappeared through a door that she guessed as the way to the kitchen.

"Sorry about that," Emma husked out, the blush still present on her cheeks. "Neal has his moments. It seems he forgot to take his medications again," she added with a roll of her eyes, a smirk playing on her lips.

Regina let out a small laugh at the inside joke. "So it seems." She looked intensely at the blonde again. "What do you say, Miss Swan? Will you go out to dinner with me tonight?"

Emma blinked several times before giving the brunette a small shy smile. "Are you asking me out on a date, Professor Mills?"

With a sensual smile, Regina reached out to brush the end of her index finger to the side of Emma's lower lip, making the blonde let out a small shiver. "It seems I am," she whispered breathlessly.

The wide dimpled smile the blonde gave her is all the answer she needs.

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Regina let out a satisfied hum as her hungry eyes traveled at the expanse of milky white skin that's revealed for her.

Finally, after hours of denying herself the pleasure of devouring the blonde before her for the better part of their date, she now has the better part of the night of exploring the body that has taunted her dreams for the past few months. Now it's time to make those dreams and fantasies into reality.

Ever since they shared a kiss on the docks just near the restaurant where they ate for their date, Regina couldn't get enough. Feeling those soft lips gliding against hers almost sent her into overdrive. This is not her first rodeo when it comes to kissing or being intimate with another woman but this is the first time she's doing it with the thoughts of doing it again with the blonde in the near future. Regina never felt this before with one-night stands and it thrills her because all she wanted was Emma.

Emma isn't just a one-night stand for her and she's going to make sure the blonde sees it.

As she kept her gaze on the blonde's almost-naked form she started shedding her own clothes off, starting with her partially opened shirt that had already lost one or two buttons because of their haste to feel each other's skin. Seeing the desire, lust, and awe in those almost black wide eyes and how her chest heave with small panting sounds as the blonde watch her remove her clothing, Regina couldn't help but smirk.

Standing by the end of the bed, Regina started pulling down her pants with a small sway of her hips. She let out a small moan when Emma licked her lips as she raised herself up using her elbows to watch the brunette take off her clothes. Once both of them are only clad in their underwear, Regina crawled her way back towards the blonde like a lioness seeking her prey. Seeing the blonde biting her lower lip Regina reached out and pressed her thumb to release the skin before claiming those lips with her own; lips so addicting that Regina couldn't stop kissing them even if she tried. When air became a necessity for the both of them the brunette's lips traveled from the side of the blonde's lips down to her flaming cheek until she reach her ear as her hands started traveling down the blonde's sides, the underside of her left breast, her hips, her arm, making the blonde-haired beauty squirm underneath her. Hearing Emma's moan of approval in every touch Regina's hands and lips delivers she doubled her efforts. She wanted to take her time, to taste each and every part of the blonde but her mind is screaming for her to take her, to devour her as if she's her last meal, to fuck her until she couldn't do anything but to accept everything Regina is giving to her.

What had started as small caresses and gentle flicks of tongue against soft skin turned into something more passionate, urgent even, as if it will be the last time that they will be doing this.

As thrilling as this new experience with the blonde of her dreams is, Regina did her very best to slow down; to savour each moment with the blonde goddess beneath her. But it looks like Emma has other ideas. She started removing Regina's underwear mercilessly as her lips, teeth, and tongue kissed, nips, and flicks any part of skin she could reach, leaving small teeth marks and bruises that Regina will wear proudly because it came from one Emma Swan. Especially now that her dickhead of an ex is starting to catch her attention again after he found out that the woman he cheated on her with went behind his back and is now pregnant with someone else's child.

_Ain't karma a bitch_, Regina scoffed to herself as she pushed Emma back down on the mattress and started attacking her chest, neck, and lips with bruising kisses that she knows will be very noticeable the next day. Seeing her marks started forming on pale skin made her purr. Oh, how she loves marking those flawless skin with love bites. Her inner beast is keening with joy.

Regina almost practically ripped the remaining fabrics that's hiding the precious gem she oh so wanted to see and devour. She let out a loud moan when she saw how drenched, swollen, and oh so ready the blonde was for her. Seeing and smelling the evidence of how affected the blonde was made her more even wetter than before. Regina never felt this when she and Robin are having sex. Never this aroused, never this wet. Just seeing how wet the blonde was for her has her salivating. She needs to have that wet and swollen pussy on her mouth, now.

Without preamble, she spread the blonde's thighs apart and using her fingers she parted her swollen nether lips to reveal the precious pearl she so wanted to suck into her mouth. Using the tip of her index finger she started circling the precious nub as she blew her warm breath against Emma's pussy, making the blonde jerked her hips up with her trembling thighs.

"Please," the blonde goddess moaned as she gripped the bedsheet tightly, almost ripping it apart.

"Beautiful," Regina moaned as she inhaled the sweet and musky scent of her pussy as she kept rubbing circles on her sensitive clit.

Kissing either side of the blonde's trembling thighs, she finally relented the blonde's continued pleading and swiped her tongue for her weeping entrance up to her swollen clit, making Emma let out a keening cry of relief. After lapping up the gathered wetness on her entrance, her lips traveled up until she reached her throbbing clit, taking it into her mouth and sucked, gently at first until Regina could no longer hold herself and started sucking a little bit harder. Emma bucked her hips so hard that Regina almost fell from the bed. Holding her down on the mattress Regina gently inserted a single digit into the warm velvety channel as she kept on sucking her clit, thrusting in and out slowly until she found her rhythm. She also felt hands ran through her tresses and gripped her hair tightly as she felt the blonde suddenly tighten around her finger and let out a loud cry, a sign that she had finally climaxed.

But Regina didn't stopped thrusting her finger inside the blonde. Instead she added another finger as she kissed her way up Emma's body, stopping momentarily on her heaving breasts to suck each nipple into her thirsty mouth, then up again until their lips met. Sitting up on her knees she watched as Emma unraveled underneath her. Pink lips open slightly as she take panting breaths, her heaving chest, her small, pink nipples on point, the red flush on her cheeks, and her eyes blown wide with desire, lust, and something akin to fascination and awe. With a growl Regina doubled her efforts. She wanted to see her come again. To see how those eyes roll back as she gives in to what Regina was doing to her. Regina can feel herself dripping just by looking at Emma.

"That's it, darling," she panted as she felt Emma's velvety walls fluttering around her fingers, a sign that she's close to the edge of her climax. "Give it to me. Come for me."

And, with a keening cry, Emma did, oh so beautifully.

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"Fuck!" Regina growled as she gripped Emma's hair tightly as she kept undulating her hips against Emma's lips with her knees on each side of the blonde's head.

She moaned when she felt two fingers unceremoniously inserted her and started brushing her G-spot. When she felt herself ready to come again she removed herself from the blonde's tongue and fingers and started to rub her clit furiously until clear fluids started coming out of her in quick spurts down to the blonde's awaiting mouth.

"_Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!_" she panted as she kept rubbing herself off as spurt after spurt of her cum continued coming out. She groaned when the last spurt ended and with trembling thighs, she flopped herself down beside the blonde while taking deep breaths. She let out another groan when she felt Emma positioned herself back between Regina's legs and started gently licking her already sensitive pussy.

Regina gathered her strength to push away the head between her legs. "S-stop. I couldn't... no more," she panted. She just heard a soft chuckle before she felt those sinful lips traveling it's way up her body until they reached her equally swollen lips. Regina let out a satisfied moan when she tasted herself on the blonde's lips and tongue.

"Hi," Emma greeted her with a cheeky grin when she released her lips to look at her properly.

Regina chuckled. "You're so greatly pleased at yourself," she stated, still a little breathless.

Emma shrugged. "A little."

"Liar."

They shared a laugh after that.

Pulling the blonde towards her as she pulled the blanket over their naked bodies, she let her head rest against her shoulder. She let out a serene smile when she felt soft lips kissed her gently on her neck. Resting her cheek on the blonde's sweat-damped forehead, Regina let herself close her eyes for a while until she felt herself dozing off. When she woke up, the sun was already up the side of the bed where Emma was supposed to be is surprisingly empty. Reaching out, she touched the space and found out that it's still warm, meaning the blonde just left not so long ago.

Sitting up, wincing slightly at the sore pain she felt between her legs, she scanned the room with her heart beating wildly in her chest. She let out a huge and audible sigh of relief when she found the blonde's clothes still scattered on the floor. She got worried for a second there, already thinking the worst.

Emma didn't left, thank goodness.

Snapping her head towards her bedroom door when she heard it squeak, Regina let out a huge, blinding smile when she saw Emma entering the room carrying a tray with two to-go cups of coffee with SwanFire Café's logo on the front on her left hand and a small rectangular box on her right hand. Regina has to stop herself from moaning out loud as she took in the blonde's appearance. She saw Emma smirk as she approached the bed with a slight sway on her hips, making Regina's eyes burned with desire and her cheeks started to blush.

"That's just sinful," she commented as she bit her lower lip. She has to stop squirming on her seat because she's still sore from their almost non-stop fucking the night before. But seeing Emma wearing nothing but one of her old work shirts is doing wonders on her lust-addled brain.

Putting the coffees and the box on the bedside table, Emma confidently situated herself on Regina's lap with her knees on both sides of her hips, careful enough not to put down all her weight because she knows Regina is still sore from the night before. Tangling her hands through disheveled brunette locks Emma pulled her into a soft kiss. "Good morning," blonde whispered against her lips.

With a soft smile, Regina pulled the blonde closer until her naked chest met Emma's clothed ones. "Hmm, good morning, darling." She looked at the coffees. "I didn't know the café delivers," she noticed.

"We don't," Emma answers. "But Tamara owes me a few favors so I asked her to deliver us some. Drink it while it's still hot."

Taking the cup with her name on it, she took a generous sip, moaning as the hot liquid passed through her tongue and into her dry throat. "Heavenly," she sighed as she rested her forehead against Emma's shoulder. "Thank you, darling."

Emma kissed her temple. "My pleasure." She removed herself from Regina's lap and stood up, making the brunette moan in protest.

"Come back here," Regina said with a pout.

Emma chuckled but did what she was told but she didn't sat back down on the brunette's lap. Instead, she sat on the side of the bed near Regina and the brunette immediately wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist and nuzzling her nose behind her ear. Putting Regina's coffee back on the bedside table, Emma sighed as she let Regina's nose and lips nuzzle her neck, moaning when Regina gently bit her pulse point then laving it with her tongue.

"I have something for you," she moaned out as Regina's hands that was resting on her waist traveled up and gently unbuttoned the shirt until her pale, naked flesh is revealed.

"Can it wait?" Regina murmured against her skin. "I'm kind of busy right now."

Emma chuckled, then gasped when Regina not-so-gently pinched her already erect nipples. "You're insatiable," she moaned.

"For you, always," Regina countered.

"Aren't you sore?"

"A little," Regina hummed. "But that doesn't mean my fingers, lips, and tongue couldn't do it."

Emma again chuckled as she grasped Regina's hands from wandering all over her traitorous body. "Later," she said. When she turned around to face the brunette she is once again greeted with that adorable pout. "Later, I promise," she assured with a smile then kissing the pout away. Turning, she grabbed the box and presented it to the beautiful, naked brunette. "Merry Christmas," she whispered.

"Oh, Emma," she gasped. "You didn't have to."

But Emma shrugged her off. "Just open it."

With shaking hands, Regina accepts the box then opened it gently. What she saw inside made her gasp. "Emma…"

Emma shrugged again as she scratched the back of her neck, suddenly shy. "It's not much but—"

"Wear it on me," Regina husked out with her eyes wide with adoration and happiness, cutting Emma off.

Emma nodded with a gulp. Taking the necklace out of the box, Emma moved until she's sitting behind Regina. The brunette moved her disheveled hair to the side to give Emma room as she locked the clasp of the jewelry together around her neck then kissing it before letting Regina turn around.

Regina kissed the blonde on the lips firmly once they fully faced each other. "It's beautiful," she whispered in awe as she caressed the small feather pendant of the white-gold necklace.

"I'm glad you liked it," Emma said with a small smile.

Regina kissed her again. "I loved it. Thank you."

Emma frowned when Regina stood from the bed and started wearing her silver silk robe that's been laying on the chaise. "Where are you going?" she asked.

Regina raised a finger at her, then saying, "Wait a moment," then walked out of the room. Not even two minutes later Regina came back and was now carrying a rather large white box with a red ribbon tied around it. With a smile, Regina settled the box onto Emma's lap then took a seat beside the blonde. "Merry Christmas, darling," she said as she kissed the blonde's cheek.

Emma has to blink several times to stop the tears from forming before pulling the ribbon off. What she saw inside made her breath hitch. "Oh, my…"

Inside the box must be the most expensive gift she has received her entire life. And no, it has nothing like the same jacket she's been eyeing on a thrift shop she saw a few weeks ago. This one inside the box is made with real leather that surely costs more than what she's been earning for three months. Looking at the item, it's too good to be true. But she can't help but smile so wide her cheeks hurt. This has been one of the greatest gifts she has received her whole life.

Regina bit her lip. She didn't know if that was the appropriate gift she could give the blonde. But when she saw it one time when she was wandering at the mall she immediately thought of the blonde so she immediately bought it. And looking at the biggest dimpled smile the blonde has given her assured her that she made the right choice.

She may be a little sad that she didn't get the chance to spend the holidays with her family, she's more happy now that she got to spend it with the person she wasn't expecting to meet, or meant to fall in love with. But this is her chance now, and she will do everything to make this work. And looking at Emma, she can see that this is what the blonde also wants.

If this is something Fate or Destiny did for her to meet the blonde, no matter how cliché and cheesy that is, Regina's not complaining. She's quite happy and content that she will not be celebrating the holidays alone.

And maybe, just maybe, Emma will still be with her sharing the holidays with her. Their future is unsure yet, but Regina knows to herself that Emma is it for her.

All she needs is to hold on to hope.


End file.
